Kilgore Heights Elementary School had taken its students to visit Santa Claus at the library when the child, a pre-kindergarten student, got out of control, slapped the teacher and she slapped him back, Clements said.

The district had never had any problems with the teacher before this, but it was a situation the district could not tolerate, Clements noted. The district investigated the incident and spoke with the teacher before firing her, he said.